Bayonet from the WWI Battle of Vimy Ridge

- Item No.

Key Features

Item Details

Length:
B: 19; S: 15 1/4 Inches

Period:
20th Century

Origin:
Europe

This bayonet was confiscated from German forces during the World War I battle of Vimy Ridge by Lieutenant Ernest Odell when his forces engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Vimy Ridge was part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. The chief combatants were the Canadian Corps led by the British and the German Sixth Army. The battle lasted four days, from April 9th to the 12th, 1917, and was fought on land, air and even underground. The Canadian victory became a national symbol of pride and achievement.

Such a historically significant artifact from a well-documented battle, especially those of this condition from the first World War, is extremely rare. The Battle of Vimy Ridge still has considerable significance for Canada. It was the first instance in which all four Canadian military divisions, made up of troops drawn from all parts of the country, fought as a cohesive formation. Historians believe this victory was among the first instances of Canada's "coming of age" as a nation.